Cold Blast Could Bring Mountain Snow

Western North Carolina will swing from afternoons near 70 this week to a cold blast that could drop the season’s first accumulating snow on the mountains by the weekend.

The National Weather Service says sunshine and temperatures 5 to 10 degrees above normal will hold through Veterans Day, with Asheville in the upper 60s. A strong cold front arrives Thursday with light rain and the coldest air of the fall.

Behind it, Asheville’s high drops to about 44 on Friday, with overnight lows in the upper 20s through the weekend. Accumulating snow is most likely above 3,500 feet along the Tennessee border. 

Overall, North Carolina’s winter outlook under a Super El Niño favors milder temperatures, above-average precipitation, and one or two wintry mix or snow events, with no heavy snowfall guarantees.

NC State Drones and Robots Target Cotton Gaps

NC State University researchers are testing drones, autonomous ground robots, and artificial intelligence to help cotton growers fill costly plant gaps known as skips. 

Led by biological and agricultural engineering assistant professor Frank Bai, the team maps fields from the air at the Sandhills Research Station.

A drone captures high-resolution images that AI analyzes to pinpoint skips longer than 3 feet. Precise GPS coordinates then guide a self-driving robot to drop seeds only into empty spots, avoiding damage to existing plants and the high cost of full replanting.

Cotton specialist Guy Collins noted the approach could prove valuable, as seed costs exceed $100 per acre and timely replanting is difficult. The technology also supports broader plant phenotyping work aimed at breeding more resilient crops.

Veterans Day Free Meals Offered across NC

Restaurants across North Carolina are offering free meals and discounts to veterans and active-duty service members on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Popular chains including Applebee’s, Chili’s, Golden Corral, IHOP, and Red Robin are participating, with many requiring proof of service. 

Offers range from free entrées and burgers to buffet meals and specialty pancakes. Applebee’s provides a complimentary full-size entrée from a special menu, while Golden Corral serves a free buffet from 4 p.m. onward at participating locations. IHOP is giving away its Red, White, and Blueberry Pancake combo.

Additional deals include free wings at Buffalo Wild Wings, a free combo card at Freddy’s, and a free tall brewed coffee at Starbucks, also open to military spouses. Diners should confirm local participation and hours, as availability can vary by restaurant. Find more deals here.

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➤ Statewide: Lithium-ion batteries will be banned from household trash and recycling across North Carolina starting Dec. 1 because of fire risks, with the state pointing residents to household hazardous-waste programs, local recycling centers, and retail drop-off sites. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: In North Carolina, 11.1% of households have zero or negative net worth, slightly below the national average of 11.3%, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau data mapping Americans with no net wealth by state. (See Map)

➤ Apex: The town council is set to hear a formal update from Town Manager Randy Vosburg on Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. on odor complaints in the New Hill area, where the source of the smell remains unclear. (More)

➤ Charlotte: The transit system deployed its new fare ambassadors at a Carolina Panthers home game for the first time, checking tickets and coaching riders on mobile payment as it tries to claw back $5 million to $6.5 million a year lost to fare evasion. (More)

➤ Rockingham County: The county and Commissioner Kevin Berger filed a new motion to dismiss outgoing Sheriff Sam Page’s federal lawsuit alleging retaliation for opposing a casino and defeating Berger’s father, Senate Leader Phil Berger, in the primary before winning the Senate seat. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: A wreath-laying ceremony was held Monday at the city’s Freedom Fountain to honor Lance Cpl. Devin Hernandez, a 25-year-old Camp Lejeune-based Marine who died after a fast-roping training exercise in Okinawa, Japan. (More)

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➤ The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 124-112 on Monday night, snapping a six-game skid as Grayson Allen scored 27 points and Naz Reid added 25 points with 13 rebounds. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel will miss at least four more weeks with a left hamstring strain, the same injury that sidelined him for the preseason and the first eight games. He lasted about six minutes in his Nov. 4 season debut before reinjuring it. (More)

➤ No. 2 Duke men’s basketball faces No. 6 Michigan State tonight at the State Farm Champions Classic showdown at Chicago’s United Center. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. (More and See Details)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW

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➤ A 2010 UC Davis study found that one natural compound can trigger the growth of brand-new mitochondria, the powerhouses your heart depends on. A human trial and a Japanese team backed it up. Since the compound can’t be patented, the research was quietly starved of funding, and most products use far less than the dose researchers tested. (Learn More)

➤ The Gables, a boutique hotel inside a restored 1928 motor lodge in downtown Raleigh, is now open. Created by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and Raleigh native Tift Merritt with developer Daniel Robinson and designer Sarah Yarborough of Heyday Studios, it features an on-site café and bar. (See Photos)

➤ Two Charlotte pop-ups are going brick-and-mortar: Brü, a coffee-and-matcha bar, has opened a permanent spot in Uptown’s Latta Arcade, and cinnamon-roll maker Blessup Rolls is working toward its own storefront after building a following at events around the city. (More)

➤ Duke University’s endowment climbed to a record $14.3 billion in fiscal 2026 on a 19.3% investment return, its best single-year gain in five years, according to figures reported by student newspaper The Chronicle. (More)

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➤ A corgi named Quinn stole the show at Sunday’s Carolina Panthers game, abandoning a halftime corgi race and juking several handlers before being corralled near the 40-yard line. (See Video)

➤ A small asteroid fragment traveling 47,000 mph lit up skies as a fireball over North Carolina and Tennessee on Thursday, tracked by NASA cameras before dissipating near Chattanooga after about 10 seconds. (See Photo)

➤ Biologists and wildlife specialists caught the first gray bat ever found in a North Carolina state park during a September survey in the state’s western high country. The exact location is being kept private to protect the federally endangered species. (See Photos)

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➤ Watching your hair get thinner each year? Scientists have identified a unique protein that rebuilds hair follicles from within. Users report visibly thicker hair in just weeks, with less shedding. This natural solution strengthens each strand from root to tip, with no expensive treatments and no side effects. (Learn More)

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Could the carbs we’ve spent decades blaming for unhealthy aging actually wind your biological clock back by years? (Listen Now)

➤ Just as holiday lights start going up, more than 3.6 million ladders are being recalled after reports of falls causing skull fractures and brain injuries. (Hear Details)

➤ Ohio State has suspended a fraternity chapter after video from a weekend party appeared to show two people on fire. (Hear Story)

How many snow events do you think your area will experience this winter?

1. At least three
2. One or two
3. None
4. No clue

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you seen a bald eagle in person?

1. Yes: 91%
2. No: 5%
3. Not sure: 4%

What are North Carolina’s most common bat species?

Show me the answer

If you’re a fan of our Trivia section, you’ll love our new book, The Flyover Book of Trivia 2027, an illustrated collection of 100 of our favorite questions and answers. (Buy It Now)